Humidifier bottom



. 5. ELLHUTT HUMIDIFIER BOTTOM Filed Dec. 29, 1934 Patented Apr. 7, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE Y9 Claims.

This invention relates to the class of air conditioning and pertains particularly to humidi iiers.

The primary object of the present 'invention is to provide an improved form of bottom construction for a humidifier by which dripping of moisture from the same is prevented.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved humidifier -bottom which is so con- 10 structed as .to be .easily cleaned without having to disassemble the structure.

The invention broadly contemplates the provision in a humidifier of a bottom having a centrally raised area leading downwardly and outwardly to a deck portion across which the vapor laden air is discharged. The outer edge of this deck has attached thereto a'trough unit .designed to catch .any drops of moisture which may fall from the edge :of the deck and Shaving an Aouter wall which has its top edge in a plane below the deck so that the air will not come into contact therewith.

vThe invention will be 4best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in .connection with the accompanying drawing forming part o'f this specification, with the understanding, however, that the invention :is not confined to any strict conformity with the showing of 4the drawing but may be changed or modifiedso long as suchchanges-or modications mark no material departure from the salient features of the `invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing:-

Figure `1 is a view in vertical section of a humidifier showing the bottom construction embodying the Apresent invention.

Figure 2 is a'sectiona'l View taken'upon the line 2--2 -of Figure 1.

'40 Figure '3 -is -a vertical section through a supporting 4Vlugior an element ,of the humidifier.

Figure 4`is `a plan View of aportion of the inner trough showing a detailed construction.

Figure '5 is a sectional `View through the inner trough and the lower edge of the bell showing the means connecting the two together.

Referring to the drawing wherein like ,numerals of reference designatefcorresponding parts 50 throughout the views, the numeral I indicates hanger straps by means'of which the humidifier structure is suspended from a vceiling or other elevated support. Ihesestraps at their Vlower ends are yattached to the ends of arms 2 which 55 are joined .to acentral ringr uponwhich may be bolt I8.

(Cl. Mil-:116)

supported the mounting arms 4 for an electric motor 5.

`Suspended from the ring 3 is a downwardly directed cylinder 6 which is open at its upper and lower ends and which has in the upper end the `fan I Y'which is .attached to the shaft oi the motor .5 in the manner illustrated. Disposed directly beneath the center oi the fan l is a water spray nozzle 8 to whicha valve pipe line d leads.

The ends of the arms 2 also support the hang- 10 er straps Ill which at their lower ends have secured thereto the bottom unit for the humidiiier which is indicated as a whole by the numeral .I I :andwhich constitutes a portion of the present invention. 15

Telescopically receiving the cylinder 6 in its upper end. is a lower shiftable cylinder l2, the bottom portion of which .is flared outwardly to form the bell I3. This bell portion of the lower cylinder extends into an inner trough Ill which 20 has an inner inwardly inclined wall l5 which is disposed in spaced relation beneath the lower edge of the bell I3. The bottom edge of the bell is in spaced relation with the bottom of the trough i4 so that there is thus formed a passage- 25 way between the bell and the inner wall of the trough for the flow -of moisture condensed on the bell into this trough.

The outer wall of the trough i4 has the outwardly directed flange I6 which normally rests 30 upon the supporting lugs Il which are secured to the suspension straps lil by means of the screw These screw bolts pass through elongated slots I9 in the straps I il so that the adjustment of the lugs on the straps may be accom 5 plished for regulating the height of the trough I4 and the other parts associated therewith relative to the bottom unit Il.

While any suitable means may be employed for connecting the bell I3 with the inner trough o the means here illustrated consists of a series of spacing sleeves I3 disposed between the bell and the inner wall l5 of the trough, and bolts .I4 passing through the bell and trough wall and the interposed sleeves. 45

Attached to the hanger straps il) above the lugs lll, :are additional lugs 2!) which are employed for supporting the bell it and the cylinder of which it forms a part together with the trough Ill, when the cleaning of the humidifier is necessary, and to permit this, the flange l@ is provided with a pair of recesses i6 through which the lugs 2E) may pass after which by turning the bell and trough the flange may be brought to rest on the lugs.

The bottom proper which is indicated generally by the numeral II consists of a disk of metal having the central upwardly directed cone-like portion 2l which is concentric with and extends upwardly into the bell I3, and the surrounding deck portion 22, the top surface of which is at an inclination from the horizontal so that the outer edge 23 is at an elevation above the line 24 where the deck joins the cone portion 2|, which line might be designated the inner edge of the deck. The lower ends of the hanger straps I El are secured to the deck 22, as indicated at 25, so that the entire bottom unit is supported by these straps.

At intervals about the bottom of the inner trough I4, openings are formed from which lead downwardly the gutters 2E, the lower ends of which rest upon the deck 22 in the manner illustrated. These gutters have their open sides directed toward the outer edge of the deck so that the air which will be blown downwardly through the cylinders 6 and I2 by the fan 1 will strike the backs of the gutters as it passes out between the deck and the bottom of the trough I 4.

The numeral 21 indicates an outer trough which is disposed concentrically with the deck 22 and beneath the same. This outer trough has a vertical inner wall 28 which is joined at its top edge with the under side of the deck along a line spaced inwardly from the deck edge so that the edge 23 of the deck overhangs the back wall of the trough, as illustrated. The forward wall of the trough 21 is preferably slightly inclined outwardly in the manner illustrated and has its top edge in a plane lying well below the edge 23 of the deck. This outer trough 21 is also provided with drain means 29 by which water collected therein may be carried off.

In humidiers of the type at present in use, the construction of the bottoms is such in each case that the moisture laden air passes over an unguarded edge and any of the moisture carried by the air which may condense upon the bottom is expected to fiow back to the center of the bottom which is usually in the form of a sump. However, in actual practice, all of the moisture does not flow back to the sump but because of the accumulation of lint and dust around the outer edge of the bottom, the moisture is retained and forms drops around this edge which fall olf onto the oor of the room in which the humidifier is disposed.

In the present invention the construction is such that as the moisture laden air is driven down through the cylinders 6 and I2, it will pass out through the passage provided between the trough I4 and the deck 22. Any vaporized moisture which may condense on the wall of the cylinder I2 and the bell I3 will flow down between the bell and the inner wall I5 of the trough I4 into the latter trough from which it will pass downwardly onto the deck 22 by way of the gutters 28. Since the gutters are disposed with their backs opposed to the now of air, this transferal of the moisture will be effected without any of the same being blown in the form of large drops into the air as would be the case if the condensed drops were permitted to fall freely through the air from the trough to the deck. The air after passing between the trough I4 and the rear part of the deck, is then directed outwardly from the surface of the deck at a slightly upward inclination so that it passes into the surrounding air without coming into contact with any other parts of the humidier. However, as the formation of drops of water around the outer edge 23 of the deck 22 cannot be prevented, these are kept from falling or dripping from the deck by the provision of the trough 21 which receives the drops and from which they are conducted by the pipe 29 back to the source of supply. As the outer wall of the outer trough has its top edge in a plane below that along which the moisture laden air leaves the deck, the trough will not interfere with the ecient operation of the mechanism.

It will be apparent from the illustration of the invention that the accumulation of lint and dust which occurs in the condensate receiving portions of every humidier, will in the use of the present invention, be collected in the troughs Id and 21 from which it can be removed without having to stop the operation of the humidier or shift any of the parts. Should it become necessary to reach the interior of the humidifier this is easily accomplished by sliding the bell I3 with the associate parts upwardly and maintaining the same in raised position by engaging the upper lugs 23 beneath the flange I5 of the trough I4 until the cleaning or other operation to be performed is completed.

What is claimed is:-

1. In a humidiiier including a tubular moisture laden air conductor, a bell formed at the outlet end of said air conductor, a bottom having a raised cone-like central portion disposed in and concentric with said bell and merging into an outer portion constituting a deck, said bell having its lower edge in spaced relation with the bottom adjacent the inner edge of the deck whereby air passing between the bottom and the bell will ow across the top surface of the deck, and a trough disposed beneath the outer edge of the deck.

2. In a humidier having a moist air conducting cylinder, a bell formed at the discharge end of said cylinder, a trough disposed about the lower edge of said bell and having the said edge therein, there being an area between the bell and the trough to permit moisture to flow from the bell into the trough, a bottom having an uppressed central portion extending into said bell and a surrounding deck portion, said bottom deck portion being in spaced relation with said trough, and a drip receiving trough arranged concentrically with the bottom beneath the outer edge of the deck.

3. In a humidifier having a moist air conducting cylinder, a bell formed at the discharge end of said cylinder, a trough disposed about the lower edge of said bell and having the said edge therein, there being an area between the bell and the trough to permit moisture to flow from the bell into the trough, a bottom having an up-pressed central portion extending into said bell and a surrounding deck portion, said bottom deck portion being in spaced relation with said trough, and a drip receiving trough arranged concentrically with the bottom beneath the outer edge of the deck, said deck having its top surface disposed at an upward and outward inclination, and said last trough having an outer wall edge in a plane beneath the plane of the top surface of the deck.

4. In a humidier, a bottom imperforate throughout and comprising a central cone-like portion merging at its periphery into a flat outwardly extending and upwardly inclined deck deck and disposed in a plane below the sameand receiving all moisture condensed on the cone and deck.

5. In a humidifier, a bottom imperforate throughout and comprising a central cone-like portion merging at its periphery into a fiat outwardly extending and upwardly inclined deck across which moisture laden air flows, and an annular drip gutter disposed beneath the periphery of the deck and having an inner wall joined at its top edge to the underside of the deck inwardly of the peripheral edge of the same.

6. In a humidifier, a bottom comprising an imperforate body of sheet metal having an uppressed cone-like central area merging into a at outwardly extending and upwardly inclined deck, and a gutter surrounding the deck at its periphery and disposed below the plane of the same and receiving all of the moisture condensed on the cone and deck from moisture laden air passing thereover.

7. A humidier, comprising a vertically disposed tubular body through which moisture laden air passes, said body being flared to form a bell at its lower end, a gutter surrounding the lower edge of said bell and having an inner inwardly inclined wall disposed within the bell and in spaced relation with the wall of the same, means coupling the bell with said gutter wall at spaced intervals to maintain the bell and gutter wall in spaced relation, an imperforate bottom comprising a central cone-like portion disposed concentrically within the bell and an outwardly extending upwardly inclined deck portion, said deck and gutter being in spaced relation, and a gutter surrounding the outer edge of the deck and disposed in a plane beneath the same.

8. A humidier, comprising a vertically disposed tubular body through which moisture laden air passes, said body being flared to form a bell at its lower end, a gutter surrounding the lower edge of said bell and having an inner inwardly inclined wall disposed within the bell and in spaced relation with the wall of the same, means coupling the bell with said gutter wall at spaced intervals to maintain the bell and gutter wall in spaced relation, an imperorate bottom comprising a central cone-like portion disposed concentrically within the bell and an outwardly extending upwardly inclined deck portion, said deck and gutter being in spaced relation, a gutter surrounding the outer edge of the deck and disposed in a plane beneath the same, and draining means extending from said first gutter downwardly to and contacting with the top of said deck whereby condensed moisture in the first gutter will be transferred to the surface of the deck without interference from air passing over the deck.

9. A humidifier, comprising a vertically disposed tubular body through which moisture laden air passes, said body being iiared to form a bell at its lower end, a gutter surrounding the lower edge of said bell and having an inner inwardly inclined wall disposed within the bell and in spaced relation with the wall of the same, means coupling the bell with said gutter wall at spaced intervals to maintain the bell and gutter wall in spaced relation, an imperforate bottom comprising a central cone-like portion disposed concentrically within the bell and an outwardly extending upwardly inclined deck portion, said deck and gutter being in spaced relation, a gutter surrounding the outer edge of the deck and disposed in a plane beneath the same, hanger members connected with said bottom and extending upwardly therefrom, said tubular body being divided into two telescopically connected sections, and means for coupling the edge of the first gutter with the hanger elements for maintaining one of the said sections of the tubular body in a desired relation with respect to the other.

OLIN S. ELLIOTT. 

